Jump to content
Search In
  • More options...
Find results that contain...
Find results in...

Labral Tear Recovery


Daniel Burnham
 Share

Recommended Posts

Daniel Burnham

Labral Tear Recovery

 

Hey guys.  I've been meaning to write about my labral tear recovery for some time now.  I have been super busy with graduating, moving across the country and starting a new job so I haven't had much of a chance.  I thought I'd go ahead and throw down my thoughts here and if you have any other questions I would be happy to answer.

 

First of all this advice is not meant to replace the advice of a professional physician.  The following is just what I experienced during my labrum surgery recovery and should not be taken as a medical consult.  I am not a medical doctor.

 

My Background:

I had points of damage in my left labrum. One was a slap tear and the other was a bankhart lesion.  The Bankhart lesion was from years of subluxation of the joint due to 1. Genetic predisposition and 2. Repeated injury with lack of strength development.  I played soccer and did basically no upper body strength routine until senior year of highschool. I also repeatedly fell on the field and should knock the shoulder loose.

The slap tear came later as I was attempting to train competitive gymnastics.  There was never a single incident that I am sure tore my labrum, but it seems to have been due to the lack of stability caused by the pre-existing lesion and training that wasn’t appropriate for me at the time.  Pain from my slap tear was most felt during overhead stabilization movements such as ring handstand.  I could also feel the combined instability on movements such as the cross.   I did 3 months of physical therapy with little effect and eventually decided to go ahead and get the surgery so that the condition would not get worse.

 

Surgery

I had several anchors placed into the labrum to reattach it to the bone.  The surgery wasn’t terrible and I was never in a great deal of pain.  Post surgery I was on a constant ice-bath machine which kept my entire shoulder cool for a full 18 hours post-surgery and greatly reduced swelling.  I also was aided by legal narcotics J.  I recommend that anyone who decides to have the surgery get the ice bath machine.  Mine was called a GameReady and was basically a miracle.  I also specialized my diet towards healing starting several days before surgery, which included lots of soup and cartilage.

 

Recovery

If you are considering surgery meet with the physical therapist beforehand and get a feel for how much they will be willing to help you.  Be honest about your goals and get their opinion.  My physical therapist was fantastic and therapy actually started just a few days after surgery.  We did passive stretching consisting of pendulum swings to keep range of motion from closing too much.  After a few weeks of this we moved into joint manipulation where my therapist would physically force my joint into greater ranges of motion.  These sessions are the most painful thing I have ever endured in my life.  One of my friends who went through a similar surgery and therapy vomited from the pain the first time.  These sessions are absolutely imperative for opening the joint and getting the range of motion.  We also did dry needling once the wounds were healed to be sure that muscle tightness was not affecting motion.

After this we went into basic isometric strength exercises where I would push against a wall mimicking external rotation, internal rotation, abduction and adduction.  At this point I also started opening the shoulder angle more with passive stretches on my own.  Be very careful about this.  With professional athletes they quickly move to passive stretching, however those guys are monitored.  The last thing you would want after surgery is to yank the anchors out of the bone although mine were pretty resilient.

After several weeks of isometrics I started back with general physical therapy using bands for external and internal rotation as well as a lot of plank variations.  We did a lot of long holds for totals of about 3 minutes.  My therapist kept track of this progress and eventually added weighted pull-downs assisted rows and some weighted trap lifts.  From this point I moved very quickly and we added in a lot more exercises.  Many were from the Foundation series which my therapist was very receptive about using.  We spent several months moving through progressions and I was released from physical therapy about 6 months after the surgery.

 

At this point I was still very weak.  I added in basic handstand stuff and started working back through the foundation and handstand series.  These programs along with continuing my therapy exercises were immensely helpful in recovery. The only times that I had problems with my shoulder after surgery was from skipping the mobility and basics to focus on strength.  Now after a year I am still performing these exercises near daily and increasing resistance. 

 

I am now about 1 year and a few months out of surgery.  I would say 18 months is typical recovery time to be back to near where you may have started.  However there are a few things to consider.  I am pretty young and still heal relatively quickly at 25 years old.  I also had excellent mobility before surgery including being able to lift into manna.  This greatly benefited me in recovery and I recovered faster than anyone they had from surgery including professional athletes.  I was actually doing handstands in the office before I left J.  I am still working on full range of motion.  My shoulder was surgically altered to be tighter so that I am protected and it is difficult and takes a long time to loosen this up.  I would say ROM is about 90% of what it was before surgery.  I was told I could get a maximum about 95% back. 

 

Takeaways:

I would always try physical therapy before surgery for at least a few months with a good physio who is focused on your goals.  Get one who is willing to help and isn’t focused on just making sure you can throw a baseball in your yard.

Surgery is rough physically and emotionally.  I was in school at the time and several months without one arm was really hard.  Especially when you are on painkillers for some of the time.  Do not approach it lightly

Recovery is long.  Do not convince yourself that you are special and will recover faster than anyone else.  I recovered pretty quickly and still am not quite back to full strength after over a year.  You will need to be slow and diligent.  A long smooth road is going to be better than trying to speed it up and reinjuring something.

Focus on something else while in recovery.  I focused on finishing my masters thesis and getting full splits.  Both of which I have now J

After surgery never stop doing the recovery exercises.  And do everything on both shoulders.  Your other arm will take a beating while you compensate I the beginning.  There is nothing more disheartening than injuring the other arm while waiting for one to heal.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 18
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mikkel Ravn

Yes, thanks for the account.

 

I have had the same procedure done in 2007, but had far less physical therapy - In fact, I was handed a folder, and had to do all of the recovery myself. It took me a few years to get pain free.

 

Very happy with the results, only slightly reduced range of motion. Weighted dislocates and other H1/F1 stuff have been very beneficial, and has given me some of my former ROM back. I won't ever be very good at narrow dislocates though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Daniel Burnham

What exercises were painful for you post surgery? Like what movements did you feel pain in?

Good question. The surgeon tightened up the joint to allow less external rotation. Because of this anything that goes far in the external rotation becomes painful as I reach that block. I have been working slowly to build back rom and have been told it is possible with good active stength in the end range but this is my biggest source of pain.

Along with this, Anything that places my elbows behind the body like dips or bent arm holds on the ground are also stressful. Deep handstand push-ups can also irritate it. Any time I do a little too much I get pain that lasts a few days. During this time I drop strength work and do only my rehab stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Daniel Burnham

Yes, thanks for the account.

I have had the same procedure done in 2007, but had far less physical therapy - In fact, I was handed a folder, and had to do all of the recovery myself. It took me a few years to get pain free.

Very happy with the results, only slightly reduced range of motion. Weighted dislocates and other H1/F1 stuff have been very beneficial, and has given me some of my former ROM back. I won't ever be very good at narrow dislocates though.

I have gotten back to shoulder width dislocates with a pvc pipe. This isn't too bad. Taking it slowly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mikkel Ravn

Good question. The surgeon tightened up the joint to allow less external rotation. Because of this anything that goes far in the external rotation becomes painful as I reach that block. I have been working slowly to build back rom and have been told it is possible with good active stength in the end range but this is my biggest source of pain.

Along with this, Anything that places my elbows behind the body like dips or bent arm holds on the ground are also stressful. Deep handstand push-ups can also irritate it. Any time I do a little too much I get pain that lasts a few days. During this time I drop strength work and do only my rehab stuff.

I can relate to the reduced external rotation ROM - That just the state of things post-op. It can get better, but not quite as good as the non-injured shoulder. This also has an impact on russian l-sit dips, behind the neck pullups, among others. Of these, I have only had to skip the russian L-sit dips.

 

However, IME the elbows-behind-the-back stuff (Shoulder flexion?) becomes unproblematic in time. No pain issues there, so keep on trucking  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One more question, were those exercises that you listed for post surgery pain also the same movements that hurt before your surgery? ( For example did handstand hurt pre surgery but not post?)

I am just curious on the differences of pain from pre surgery to post. I am really glad to hear you are making a  speedy full recovery!

Edited by BeBetter
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Daniel Burnham

Another good question. The pain is a great deal different. The bankhart lesion pain would occur when my shoulder literally slipped out of joint. This was pretty traumatic pain and is not something I have experienced since surgery.

The pain from the slap tear was pretty much a constant ache that would occur after each session. Along with fear that the instability would hurt me more.

The pain post surgery is most related to hitting the end range of motion and stressing the soft tissue structures that are tighter now. This is mostly a dull ache and only occurs during the exercises I mentioned. Before pain would occur after all but the most basic of movements.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

You're already in it, mate. It's the club where mastering shoulder dislocates take 5 times as long. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

beautiful stuff. thanks for the share, Daniel. I had a bankhart and slap operation in 2000 at the age of 30 and the recovery was definitely slow. Going back what I would have changed was to pursue a more aggressive physio program and implement gb mobility and strength. essentially your course of action. Mobility is excellent now aided through both static hanging and weighted dislocates. It has been a great learning opportunity and has served me well in my own evolution as an osteopath and in treating other athletes (my background is rugby and there are many a tight shoulder on the pitch!).

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dylan Jenkins

Hi Daniel, thank you so much for the post but I do have a couple questions... I tore my labrum doint an iron cross variation (bankhart tear) and it required 6 anchors to be put in place to re attach my labrum to the bone. With that being said.. if goals of mine are to obtain my straddle planche again and levers (back and front) are these reachable goals post PT? Will I be able to perform things like "skin the cat" and weighted pull ups again? My email is dylanjenkins128@yahoo.com. Hoping you get this and are able to respond. Thanks! 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Daniel Burnham Great read. A pity I didn't find it earlier. I just had the same procedure done after a slap lesion. 2months past surgery now and just about to start physio (Doc's advice to wear a sling for 4weeks and rest the arm for another 4weeks.)  A few days after surgery I started again doing core and leg work, which helped my recovery a great deal physically and mentally. It's good to work up a sweat and get the blood flowing to heal your body
Also started to focus on the split series to set new goals. Allthough even those leg/hip stretches where a little painful or hard to do in the beginning due to a tight scap, no chance to lift my arm overhead or put any load on it, I enjoy the challenge and make progress in stretching and recovery of the shoulder.
I've also just been at the ocean for a week and daily swimming - well, doggy paddle due to limited rom - helped my shoulder to get better by the day. I believe, if I'd just sat and waited as the doc advised my shoulder would be way stiffer by now. There's still a lot of work ahead to get back to decent rom and then slowly start rebuilding strength. But I'm very happy I have GB these days to help me restart the right way. 
On that note, just the other day I read a post of your's about breathing with the diaphragm/pulling the abs in during hollow body rocks. There was also a great video of Wesley demonstrating the difference in breathing. Started to work on it these days...feels good but is harder. Unfortunately I can't find the post anymore though I pinned it. Maybe you can hook me up with a link? I think it was about Manna. Thanks in advance! Bas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Coach Sommer unpinned this topic

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Please review our Privacy Policy at Privacy Policy before using the forums.